Get ready for Scouting adventure at Camp Three Falls! Located in the Lockwood Valley in northern Ventura County, at the base of Mt. Pinos, Three Falls offers summer camp for Webelos and Boy Scouts, as well as weekend camping for Scouts and other groups throughout the year.
Registration forms and other information are available on the Ventura County Council web site, or call the council at 805-482-8938.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

I was chatting with a local scoutmaster the other day about his plans to run an advancement-oriented weekend campout to help his younger scouts complete their Trail to First Class Requirements, and I suggested that Three Falls would be a great place to do something like that.

“Nah,” he said. “Our boys were just there for winter camp, and most of them went there for Webelos Resident Camp. They wouldn’t want to go there again.”

“Balderdash,” says I – or words to that effect.

My belief, based on 11 years as a scoutmaster, is that for the most part, the boys don’t much care where you go, they only care what you do when you get there.

Let me give you a couple of examples. When I was scoutmaster (not all that long ago) our troop was in the habit of going on a shooting outing every December. We always went to the same shooting range, which had nothing in particular going for it in terms of scenery or amenities, and no place to camp if you wanted to – but it did have rifles and targets. No one ever protested, “Oh, we don’t want to go there again.” Never even came up.

Every year for more than 30 years, our troop has gone to Joshua Tree for rock climbing. Same spot, same rocks. A few times someone (always an adult) has brought up the possibility of going somewhere else, but that idea has never gone beyond the idle suggestion stage.

Every couple of years, the troop goes rocket shooting. Our usual spot is a dry lake bed out near Cantil in the Mojave Desert. It’s about as unappealing a location as you could imagine, but no kid ever came to me and said, “Aw gosh, if you’re going there again, I’m skipping that outing.”

I could go on, but you get the point. In none of these cases are the kids going for the place; they’re going for the program.

Three Falls offers facilities for a pretty comprehensive range of scouting activities. Just ask, and we can set it up for you, including providing expert instructors if you need them:

* New Scout advancement work – from nature study to pioneering, map and compass to swimming.
* Pre-Camporee
* Aquatics Merit Badges
* Rifle and Shotgun shooting – recreational or merit badge work
* Climbing on one of the tallest climbing towers in Southern California
* Leadership development – Troop Leader Training, program planning conferences, adult leader retreats. Fremlin Hall is available for weekend rental at a very modest price, and includes comfortable furniture, white boards, and a big screen TV with DVD player.
* Run your own theme weekend – Mountain Man Rendezvous (see the slide show in the right column), Old West, Relief of Mafeking. If you don’t know what the Relief of Mafeking is, click here.
* Weekend family camp for Troops or Cub Scout Packs.

We’ve got the facilities for you to run the kind of program that will get your kids excited and make them want more – and if you’re in Ventura County or the San Fernando Valley, it’s probably closer to home than any comparable camp.

“The kids won’t want to go there”? Give them a little more credit – the kids know a good time when they see it – all you have to do is offer it to them.

The Place for Adventure

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How to Get Here

Take Interstate 5 to the Frazier Mountain Park Road exit, just north of Tejon Pass between Gorman and Lebec. Go about 7 miles west, through the communities of Frazier Park and Lake of the Woods, and turn left on Lockwood Valley Road. Go another 8.2 miles and turn right on Boy Scout Camp Road. The camp gate is at the end of the road, about three miles.

2018 Camp Dates

For your long-range planning convenience, here are the dates for Boy Scout and Webelos Summer Camp at Three Falls NEXT year -- 2018.

2018 Dates

Webelos

Session 1 - June 24-June 27

Session 2 - June 27-June 30

Session 3 - July 1-July 4

Boy Scout

Session 1 - July 8-July 14

Session 2 - July 15-July 21

Session 3 - July 22-July 28

LDS Week - July 30-August 4

2018 is our 85th Anniversary year, so we expect a full camp. Get your reservation in early to ensure your choice of dates.

Top 10 Reasons to Go To Camp Three Falls

10. The setting. Located at 5400 feet, Three Falls is on the border between the sagebrush plain of Lockwood Valley and the forested slopes of Mt Pinos, in an area that’s rich in geological and ecological diversity. The area offers awe-inspiring hikes to the Pinnacles, Middle Falls, North Falls, and beyond. With warm days and mild nights, the weather compares favorably to other camps in southern California and even those in the Sierras.

9. It’s close to home. When you get to Gorman on Interstate 5, you’re 2 ½ hours from Whitsett, 3 ½ hours from Chawanakee, but just 30 minutes from Three Falls. “Are we there yet?”

8. It's reasonably priced. Three Falls is priced competitively other with full-service summer camps in southern California and the Sierras, and by taking advantage of early bird discounts or bringing your own tents, you can save even more. Plus, Three Falls is close to home, so you'll also save on transportation costs.

7. Great food. Probably the best of any scout camp in southern California. The Friday barbeque really is the best meal you’ll find at any scout camp, anywhere.

6. Unique features like Fort Lockwood and our 57-foot climbing tower, tallest of any scout camp in southern California. Our lake is as big or bigger than those at other southern California camps, and we also have a pool. A lot of camps have one or the other, but not both.

5. Quality merit badge instruction.We offer about 30 merit badges, with experienced instructors who focus on providing a quality learning experience tailored to the needs of each boy. Scouts go home from Three Falls with not just a badge, but new skills that will last a lifetime.

4. Trail to First Class. Campers and leaders say our Trail to First Class program is one of the best around. We focus on developing basic skills, not just signing off requirements, so your first-year scouts go home with increased self-confidence in the outdoors and filled with enthusiasm for scouting.

3. Webelos Resident Camp. We’re one of the few camps in southern California that offers a summer resident camp program for Webelos Scouts.

2. Small is beautiful. The compact size of the camp means you don’t waste time traveling from one program area to another, and the smaller number of campers means every boy gets more attention from instructors and other staff.

1. The staff. Made up mostly of scouts and adults from Ventura County, our staff is passionate about scouting and committed to giving you the best possible summer camp experience.

Helpful Links

Mission Statement

It is the mission of Camp Three Falls to:

-- Support individual Scouts by working with unit leaders to develop Citizenship, Character, and Fitness through the application of the Eight Methods of Scouting; and by fostering in those Scouts an enthusiasm for Scouting that will lead them to be more active in the program, and remain active in the program through their teen years.

-- Support Troops and Packs by helping unit leaders to provide their Scouts with superior program activities that they might not be able to deliver otherwise; by developing leadership and teamwork; and by helping to build Troop, Pack, Patrol, and Den spirit and group identity.

-- Support the Council by developing enthusiastic Scouts and stronger Troops; and by creating a sense of community by bringing together Scouts from different locations and social groups for shared adventure and learning experiences.

If you want to sign up for summer camp, or are interested in using the camp for weekend programs for your Boy Scout Troop, Cub Scout Pack, or other group, registration forms are available on the Ventura County Council web site, or call the council office at 805-482-8938.

Disclaimer: This blog is maintained by Larry Tuck, a volunteer scout leader in Ventura County, California and Program Director for Camp Three Falls. It is not sanctioned or approved by the Ventura County Council or the Boy Scouts of America. It is intended as a supplement to the official council site, and as a forum for my own opinions about camps and camping.